Switch device



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q iH/m E. w. PO WELL SWITCH DEVICE .GOHIO Filed Jan. 23, 1928 Oct. 16, 1928.

E- W. POWELL swncu DEVICE med 11.25. 1928 a Sheets-Sheet 2 Edward film?! 2 connected together, as'through the medium of v Patented Get. '16, 19 28.

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ATEN OFFICE-1 EDWARD rowELL, 0F oHicAeo. innmois, assienoa'ro rE'rmBonE-MUL IKEN COMPANY, a oonronnrion ornnwYoRK.

swrrcn DEVICE.

application filed Ja uary 23,- 1928. 'Seiial No. 243,777.

My primary object is to reduce the expense incident to such wear of the point rails.

Another object is to provide,'as a partof the extremity of the point rail, means for laterally deflecting away from the rail, the flanges of the wheel travelling over the point preferably to such an extent as to ensure against the re-engagement of the wheel flanges with the point rail until these-flanges have moved to a position in which they extend opposite a relatively heavy section of the 7 point rail, namely, a portion of the point rail -which, by reasonof its thickness, may be subjected to great wear without impairingit for properly functioning and other objects will be manifest from the following descrip;

tion.

of the point rail of Fig. 2 showing a. portion 1 of the main rail with which it cooperates.

Figure 4; is a view in side elevation of the,

main section of the pointrail shown in Figs.

2 and 3; and Figures 5, 6 and 7, enlarged sectional views taken at the lines5, 6 and 7,

respectively, on Figs.2 and 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. In Fig. 1 I have shown a well known arraugement of mam line rails together Wlllll'ft switch construction interposed 'therein'j One.

of the main line rails is represented at 8. The opposite main line rail is formed of rail sections 9 and 10 spaced apart lengthwiseand spanned by a point rail 11 of the switch device, the other point rail thereof being represented at 12. The point rails, 11 and 12 are tie bars 13 to cause them to move simultaneously into and out of switching position is well understood in the art. "ofthe switch track are represented at 14: and

15, the rail 14 being a continuation of the Referring to the accompanying drawings The main rails point rail 12 and the rail 15 adefiected continuation of the mainline rail 9. g

' In accordance'withmy invention the point rail 12, which to effect the switching of'the train from the main line'track onto the switch track in moving to the right in Fig 1,;is moved from theposition shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Figs. 5, 6and7 to extend a ainst the inner sideof the main line rail 8, is formed ofv a main section 15. com prising a base portion 15, web 16, an-d head 17, itsouter side surface being beveled as'represented at 16 from a point adjacent its right h and end in Fig. 1 to the'opposite extremity thereof, the'head 17 at the pointed extremity of the point rail 12 anda portion of the web 16 thereofbeing cutaway as represented at 18, apertures 19 being formed in the'po'rtio'n of the web forming the base of this recess;

I The point rail 12 also comprises a terminal point section represented at 20 which lssecured to the point rail section 15 to'complete the point portion of the latter as shown-particularly in Fig. 2. p The section 20 shown as in the form of a plate containing in'its outer surface a recess 21 at which it is seated upon therecessed portion 18 ofv the main section 15 and to which latter it is secured as by bolts 22 passing through openings 23 in the plate 20 and through-the openings 19in the section 15.

1 In accordance wlth'myinvention the-inner side ra1l-flarige-engagmg surface of the plate 20, whichwhen the point rail 12 is in switching posit-ion extends at an angle to the main line rail .8, instead of being in line withthe inner wheel-flange-engaging "surface of the main section 15, is outof line therewith and 3 forms the more or. less abrupt laterally dis posed surface 24 which serves in the engage ment of the wheel flanges therewith to deflect the wheels toward the rail sections 9 and 15,

the deflecting surfacej2t being preferablyso formed, as for example as shown, that the flanges of the wheels/engaging the switchpoint 12 will not re engage' therewith until these wheels; have passed: a substantial distance to the right in Fig; '2 beyond the section 20 which preferably would .be about eight inches long when used in connection with standard railway track construction.

Byflthus providing for the d' fiection of the wheels the pointrail section 15 may be formed of an ordinary'steel railshaped as' described,i;

as the impact of the flanges against it occurs only at a relatively thick portion of this rail section and which may be subjected to relatively great wear Without impairing the proper functioning thereof. The section which provides the relatively sharp eX- tremity of the point rail and takes the initial thrust exerted by the wheel flanges in the switchingoperation preferably is provided of relatively hard metal, as for example manganesev steel, and reason of the provision of the deflecting surface referred'to, may be provided as a comparatively small member which may be provided at relatively small expense, thereby effecting great economy in switch construction particularly as compared with the common form of switch constructions unprovided with wheel deflecting projections and having their pointed extremities vformed of relatively long removable sections of hard metal such as manganese.

The inner wheel-fiange-engaging1 portion of the section 20 and providing the deflecting surface 24 as stated, is preferably beveled as indicated at 25 at the end thereof adjacent the head 17 of the main section 15, to avoid undue obstruction to the travel of trains passing to the left in Fig. 1 from the switch track onto the main track.

WVhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not Wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto. as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit ofmy invention;

'What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: '7 is t 1. A point rail of a railway switch formed of a main section and a terminal point section secured to said main section and completing its point portion, said terminal point section having a laterally extending wl 1eel-flan; 2;eengaging projection for deflecting the Wheel flange laterally in a direction away from the side of said point rail. Y

2. A point rail of a railway switch formed of amain section with its upper port-ion re-v cessed at its terminal end, and a terminal point section located in the recessed portion of said main section and secured thereto and completing its point portion, said terminal point section having a laterally extending WheeLflangeengaging projection for deflect ing the wheel flange laterally in a direction away from the, side of said point ail.

3. A point rail of a railway switch formed of a main section having its head portion tapered and terminating in a relatively abrupt point, and a'termina'l point section secured to saidmain section and having a relatively sharp pointed extremity and com pleting the pointportion of the point rail, said terminal point section having a relatively abrupt laterally extending wheel-flange engaging surface merging into the pointed extremity of said terminal point section for deflecting the wheel flange laterally in a direction away from theside-of said point rail.

EDWARD vv. POWE L. 

